Written Answers Monday 6 August 2007

Scottish Executive

Education

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the school estate in preparation for implementing its policy of having 18 pupils or fewer in P1 to P3 classes.

Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-1362 on 10 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Education

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many educational psychologists have worked in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Maureen Watt: The full-time equivalent number of educational psychologists reported each year in the annual staff census are as in the following table. Data was not collected between 2000 and 2002.

  

Local Authority
1999
2003
2004
2005
2006


Aberdeen City
12
14
16
13
16


Aberdeenshire
17
17
17
19
20


Angus
7
7
8
8
6


Argyll and Bute
6
7
7
7
7


Clackmannanshire
5
7
6
7
2


Dumfries and Galloway
7
11
8
10
11


Dundee City
11
13
13
13
14


East Ayrshire1
7
9
9
10
10


East Dunbartonshire
7
7
8
7
7


East Lothian
6
9
7
6
9


East Renfrewshire
7
12
11
11
10


Edinburgh, City of
27
35
35
38
38


Eilean Siar
3
3
3
3
2


Falkirk
8
10
12
11
11


Fife
31
25
25
23
26


Glasgow City
58
50
54
54
50


Highland
13
16
16
15
18


Inverclyde
6
7
8
10
10


Midlothian1
6
8
8
7
8


Moray
7
8
8
9
9


North Ayrshire
11
12
11
12
14


North Lanarkshire
23
24
25
29
27


Orkney Islands
2
2
1
2
2


Perth and Kinross
9
9
9
10
10


Renfrewshire
11
13
13
14
12


Scottish Borders
6
7
7
8
8


Shetland Islands1
2
1
1
1
2


South Ayrshire
8
7
9
5
4


South Lanarkshire
18
20
20
23
27


Stirling
6
7
8
8
7


West Dunbartonshire
7
9
9
10
10


West Lothian1
11
14
12
15
16


Scotland
364
398
403
417
423



  Source: 1999, SC6 form. 2003 onwards, staff census.

  Note: 1. No data available for 1999, 1998 data used.

Education

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-980 by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2007, why, if formal statistics of participation in higher education are not available for the whole of the period since the Reformation, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning stated to the Parliament on 13 June 2007: "The age participation index, which measures the proportion of young Scots who are engaged in higher education, has fallen since the graduate endowment fee was introduced from 51.5 per cent in 2001-02 to 47.1 per cent in 2005-06. Believe it or not, for the first time since the reformation, there has been a drop in the share of the population studying in higher education in Scotland." ( Official Report c. 629).

Fiona Hyslop: I was making the point that the Scottish education system has been leading by example for centuries. The Member may be interested in the facts and statistics described in a book by Prof R.D. Anderson: Scottish Education since the Reformation, Studies in Scottish Economic and Social History No 5, Edinburgh 1997.

Electricity

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many megawatt hours of electricity were (a) generated and (b) consumed in each year since 1980.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information centrally. However, in 2006 the Scottish Executive published volumes 1 and 2 of the Scottish Energy Study which provides a comprehensive comparison of electricity supplies and demand in 1990 and 2002.

  These volumes of the Energy Study can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/19092748/0 - Volume 1

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/19093058/0 - Volume 2

  National (UK) data from 1970 onwards, is available from the Department of Business and Regulatory Reform’s long term trends tables, which are published in the internet version of the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics.

  However, regional data, including those for Scotland, is only available from 2003 onwards. These are published annually in a special article in December's energy trends, and can be accessed via the following link: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/trends/index.html.

Electricity

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many megawatt hours of electricity were generated from (a) nuclear, (b) oil and gas, (c) hydro, (d) wind, (e) solar and (f) other sources in each year since 1980.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Executive doe not hold this information centrally. However, in 2006 the Scottish Executive published volumes 1 and 2 of the Scottish Energy Study which provides a comprehensive comparison of electricity supplies and demand in 1990 and 2002.

  These volumes of the Energy Study can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/19092748/0 - Volume 1

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/19093058/0 - Volume 2

  National (UK) data from 1970 onwards, is available from the Department of Business and Regulatory Reform’s long term trends tables, which are published in the internet version of the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics. At the following link: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/statistics/source/electricity/page18527.html.

  Wind and solar data are only available since 1998. These can be found in the renewables chapter of DUKES (Chapter 7) in Table 7.1 - 7.3, and also in Tables 7.4 and 7.5. http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/statistics/source/renewables/page18513.html.

Energy

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to carry out a detailed appraisal of the potential of hydrogen to contribute to Scotland’s energy mix.

Jim Mather: A report by the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland in 2006 concluded that by 2020, given appropriate support, 40% of renewable energy installations could have hydrogen production and storage facilities and 20% of homes be fitted with fuel cell based combined heat and power systems.

  In order to promote this technology seven projects have been awarded support totalling £1.5 million under the Executive’s Renewable Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Support Scheme.

Energy Efficiency

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek the Parliament’s approval for the establishment of an Energy Efficient Agency for Scotland as a non-departmental public body.

Jim Mather: The Executive has commissioned an independent review of Energy Efficiency Support in Scotland which is due to report in October 2007. This review will provide evidence on the effectiveness of the current process and framework of energy efficiency advice in Scotland and its impact in terms of cost effectiveness and carbon savings. It will look for any gaps, overlaps, duplication or unhelpful competition and any barriers to effectiveness. It will also look at different options for improving the delivery of energy efficiency support in Scotland including the option of a single Energy Efficiency Agency for Scotland. I will consider the results of this review as soon as it is available.

Enterprise

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage microgeneration.

Jim Mather: The Executive’s objective is increased levels of microgeneration and we are committed to increasing funding to help achieve this as part of our first spending review. Microgeneration has the potential to provide a sustainable source of low carbon energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from buildings. It will be part of a coherent approach to energy policy, recognising that promoting reduced energy consumption and promoting low carbon technologies are key to achieving sustainable economic growth. I have started a dialogue with key stakeholders and this will continue so as to ensure a clear and shared strategy and achievement of objectives.

Enterprise

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has measured, or has any plans to measure, the success of Scotland’s five new towns and, if so, what criteria it uses to measure such success.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has not measured and has no plans to measure the success of Scotland’s five new towns. The UK Government reviewed a number of aspects of the new towns prior to their wind up in the late 1980s. The key documents in this respect are: The Scottish New Towns: the way ahead (Cm 711) and Industry Department for Scotland: Review of Scottish New Towns (House of Commons Paper 1987-88). Both documents have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre(Bib. numbers 43317 and 43318 respectively).

Enterprise

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how plans to reform local enterprise companies will impact on the careers advice service that those companies currently offer.

Jim Mather: Consideration of the delivery of local economic development activity, including the future of local enterprise companies (LEC), is now underway as part of the wider work which we are undertaking on the future shape of the enterprise networks. Any changes which may or may not be made to the LEC structure will take account of the need to deliver a high-quality careers advice service which is currently in place and delivered by Careers Scotland.

Enterprise

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set out plans to treble current funding for community and microgeneration with up to one million households benefiting.

Jim Mather: The Executive’s objective is to increase levels of microgeneration and we are committed to increasing funding to help achieve this. The Executive will set out its plans for funding as part of our first spending review. Microgeneration has the potential to provide a sustainable source of low carbon energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from buildings. It will be part of a coherent approach to energy policy, recognising that promoting reduced energy consumption and promoting low carbon technologies are key to achieving sustainable economic growth. I have started a dialogue with key stakeholders and this will continue so as to ensure a clear and shared strategy and achievement of objectives.

First Minister

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what face-to-face discussions took place between the First Minister and the Prime Minister during the British-Irish Council meeting on 16 July 2007.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what face-to-face meetings took place between the First Minister and the Taoiseach during the British-Irish Council meeting on 16 July 2007.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what face-to-face discussions took place between the First Minister and the First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly Government during the British-Irish Council meeting on 16 July 2007.

Linda Fabiani: The format for British-Irish Council Summits involves round table discussions during which all member administrations are invited to contribute.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2245 on 6 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

First Minister

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what face-to-face discussions took place between the First Minister and the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government during the British-Irish Council meeting on 16 July 2007.

Linda Fabiani: The First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government did not attend the British-Irish Council Summit on 16 July 2007.

  Wales was represented by the Welsh Deputy First Minister.

  The format for British-Irish Council Summits involves round table discussions during which all member administrations are invited to contribute.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2245 on 6 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

First Minister

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what issues were discussed during the meeting of the British-Irish Council on 16 July 2007.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings took place on the issue of corporation tax during the meeting of the British-Irish Council on 16 July 2007.

Linda Fabiani: At the British-Irish Council (BIC) Summit on 16 July 2007, members of the council reviewed and discussed how the BIC might develop its work.

  Recognising the potential of the BIC to strengthen relations between its members and to develop cooperation further between them across a range of sectors of mutual interest and benefit, all agreed it is now opportune to review the future direction of the BIC. In this context, Alex Salmond proposed energy as a useful work area of the BIC and offered to lead on this.

  The BIC tasked the secretariat, in consultation with member administrations, to undertake a strategic review of the council’s work programmes, working methods and support arrangements, including arrangements for a standing secretariat, and report back with firm proposals as soon as possible.

  As with previous summits, the meeting also received progress reports and agreed a plan for future work on the other subjects being taken forward by council members. These are demography, e-Health, drugs, environment, knowledge economy, minority and lesser–used languages, tourism, transport and social inclusion.

  A copy of the Communiqué issued by the British-Irish Council after the summit meeting in Belfast is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. (Bib. number 43175).

Further and Higher Education

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider funding the postgraduate doctorate in counselling psychology at Scottish universities on a par with similar courses elsewhere, in light of the value that the British Psychological Society places on this course.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Executive has no plans to provide funding for Counselling Psychology courses.

  NHS Education for Scotland is responsible for the commissioning of education and training for NHSScotland. It has reported that there is no demand from NHS boards to develop and fund training for counselling psychologists.

Health

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) incidence per 100,000 and (b) number of spina bifida pregnancies was in Scotland in the most recent year for which figures are available and what comparative information it has for (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) each OECD nation and (iii) each EU member state.

Nicola Sturgeon: Not all of the information requested is held centrally.

  (a) and (b):

  The latest information available for Scotland is published in the Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality and Morbidity Report (SPIMMR) 2005. This report is due to be updated later this year.

  This 2005 SPIMMR report is available via: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=mat_spimmer_2005.pdf&pContentDispositionType=inline.

  Tables 31 and 32a (pages 29-30) show the number and rates of singletons born in Scotland and detected with congenital anomalies (including figures for spina bifida) at birth or during infancy, 1995-2004. The figures included in these tables do not however include spina bifida pregnancies that were terminated.

  Spina bifida is one of the conditions screened for during pregnancy and if a termination is carried out for this reason it is recorded on the Abortions Act data form. Table 32b (page 30) provides spina bifida rates per births and abortions. The total number of pregnancies used to derive the rates presented in table 32b are not included in the report.

  Spina bifida pregnancies resulting in miscarriage will not be included in these statistics.

  (i):

  Comparable information for the United Kingdom is not held centrally.

  The National Congenital Anomaly System does however hold data for England and Wales. The estimated number of babies born in England and Wales during 2005 with spina bifida was 56. This equates to an incidence rate of 9 per 100,000 live births. This figure is not directly comparable with those presented above for Scotland as it does not include cases detected during infancy or terminations.

  These figures are published on the Clinical and Health Outcomes Knowledge Base at: http://www.nchod.nhs.uk/NCHOD/Compendium.nsf/f47084ec7cabf53b80256fcb0054ee1c/344eb1370e4ffd49652570d1001cb7fb!OpenDocument.

  (ii) and (iii):

  Comparable information for EU member states and the OECD nations is not held centrally. We are not aware of a single source for this information.

Health

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) incidence per 100,000 and (b) number of cases of cystic fibrosis was in Scotland in the most recent year for which figures are available and what comparative information it has for (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) each OECD nation and (iii) each EU member state.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

  However, background information relating to this request is available from a number of sources.

  Dundee University:

  The UK Cystic Fibrosis Database is developed and maintained from Dundee University. Information about the database is available from: http://www.cystic-fibrosis.org.uk/background.htm

  Personnel at Dundee University are also driving the collation of comparable figures for EU member states. The latest available information on data collated for the member states is available from: www.eurocarecf.eu

  Personnel at Dundee University have contributed to Chapter 2 of the recently published 3rd edition of Cystic Fibrosis (Authors: D Geddes, M Hodson, A Bush). This chapter presents an overview of estimated birth prevalence for Scotland, UK and a number of EU member states and OECD nations. In summary:

  Around 20-25 babies are born with cystic fibrosis in Scotland each year, which equates to a birth prevalence rate of just under 1 in 2,000 live births.

  For the United Kingdom, the number of babies born each year is approximately ten times the Scotland figure at 200-250. The birth prevalence rate in the UK as a whole is estimated to be slightly lower than that observed in Scotland at around 1 in 2,400 live births.

  Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition and birth prevalence rates vary between ethnic groups within countries. For example, in the United States the birth prevalence amongst the white population is estimated to be approximately 1 in 3,400 live births, compared with a birth prevalence for the non-white population of around 1 in 12,000 live births.

  Information Services Division of the NHS (ISD Scotland):

  It is likely that patients with cystic fibrosis will have contact with healthcare services in a number of healthcare settings including, GP practices or as inpatients or day cases in an acute, general hospital.

  Acute Hospital Discharge Information:

  The incidence and number of patients discharged from acute, general hospitals in Scotland with a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is shown in the following table.

  Incidence, Incidence Rate and Number of Cases of Cystic Fibrosis in Patients Discharged from Acute, General Hospitals in Scotland, Scottish Residents1 - Year Ending 31st March 2006

  

Incidence2 with diagnosis3 of cystic fibrosis
71


Incidence rate per 100,000 population4
1.39


Cases5 with diagnosis of cystic fibrosis
484



  Source: ISD Scotland linked SMR01 database.

  Notes:

  1. Excludes residents out with Scotland, of no fixed abode or unknown.

  2. Incidence is defined as a patient’s first ever discharge with the specified diagnosis screened backwards through the patient’s discharge history for 10 years (1996).

  3. Up to six diagnoses (one principal and up to five secondary) are recorded on SRM01. All six diagnoses have been used to identify cystic fibrosis employing the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD10) code E84.

  4. Based on GRO(S) mid year population estimate for Scotland, 2005.

  5. Patients discharged with diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (includes incident cases).

  General Practice Information.

  The incidence of GP contacts with diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is not available centrally because numbers are too low to calculate meaningful, national estimates based upon a sample of general practices from practice team information data.

Housing

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1224 by Shona Robison on 9 July 2007, what the age profile is of people in temporary accommodation in each local authority area.

Stewart Maxwell: The following table gives the age profile of the main applicant and household type for households applying in 2005-06 which were placed in temporary accommodation during the course of their application.

  Household Type and Age of Main Applicant for Applicant Households Provided with Temporary Accommodation by Local Authority: 2005-06

  

Percentages
Households without Children
Households with Children


16-17
18-20
21-24
25-34
35+
16-20
21-24
25-34
35+


Dumfries and Galloway
 9 
 9 
12 
17 
24 
 3 
 4 
12 
 9 


East Ayrshire
 8 
11 
13 
18 
26 
 1 
 4 
10 
 9 


East Lothian
 9 
14 
12 
11 
13 
 6 
 9 
14 
13 


Midlothian
 7 
 7 
 2 
15 
20 
 2 
 5 
29 
12 


North Ayrshire
10 
11 
10 
21 
21 
 4 
 5 
 9 
 9 


Scottish Borders
16 
11 
11 
13 
30 
 1 
- 
13 
 5 


South Ayrshire
 8 
10 
13 
21 
25 
 3 
 5 
 6 
 9 


South Lanarkshire
 6 
10 
11 
17 
28 
 3 
 4 
11 
10 



  Source: HL1 returns from local authorities to Scottish Government Communities Analytical Services Division (Housing Statistics).

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on applications during the period, and time spent in temporary accommodation may therefore occur outwith the reference period.

  2. Variations in the figures should be interpreted with caution as some percentages may be based on relatively small numbers.

  3. The following symbols are used in the tables:

  - nil

  * less than 0.5%

  .. missing.

Housing

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1933 by Stewart Maxwell on 20 July 2007, whether it will make the Homestake Open Market Scheme available to disabled residents in Dumfries and Galloway.

Stewart Maxwell: The Homestake Open Market Scheme is a limited pilot which is subject to on-going review and evaluation and there are no plans at present to extend the scheme to Dumfries and Galloway.

International Development

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has increased Scotland’s international development budget by 100%.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government is committed to doubling the international development budget, but this will be done in the context of an appraisal of the current International development policy and the spending review.

  In line with our manifesto commitment to work with Scotland’s aid agencies, I have taken initial soundings from key stakeholders and over the coming months, I will consult more widely to draw on the extensive knowledge base that exists in Scotland before deciding how best to take forward the international development policy. These discussions will inform our spending decisions as we seek to ensure this support targets those in greatest need and achieves measurable, sustainable outcomes.

Maternity Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1424 by Shona Robison on 16 July 2007, which NHS boards offer two ultrasound scans.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-832 on 22 June 2007 which listed those boards routinely carrying out foetal anomaly scans at 18–22 weeks. All boards offer ultrasound scans at booking.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Modern Apprenticeships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion and number of skillseekers went on to enter the modern apprenticeship programme in each year since 1999.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of skillseekers who progressed to the modern apprenticeship programme is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. This information is not held centrally.

Multiple Sclerosis

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) incidence per 100,000 and (b) number of cases of multiple sclerosis was in Scotland in the most recent year for which figures are available and what comparative information it has for (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) each OECD nation and (iii) each EU member state.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

  However, a number of sources provide background data related to this request.

  (a)

  The incidence of multiple sclerosis, MS, (number of people newly diagnosed) in Scotland is not held centrally. However, national estimates based on a variety of sources are available on the Scottish Public Health Observatory (ScotPHO) website: http://www.scotpho.org.uk/web/site/home/Healthwell-beinganddisease/Multiplesclerosis/ms_keypoints.asp

  This information is derived from statistics on primary care consultations collected as part of the Practice Team Information scheme (PTI), from hospital discharge data and from specific survey data. Due to the natural course of MS, both PTI and hospital discharge statistics represent significant underestimates of the true prevalence and incidence of the disease. However, survey data is believed to provide more reliable estimates.

  (b)

  Based on PTI data, the estimated number of patients contacting GP practices for multiple sclerosis in the financial year 2005-06 (the most recent year for which figures are available) was 5,300. This equates to a rate of 98 per 100,000.

  It is important to note that this PTI estimate is based on only those patients who have consulted their general practice in the year. It is likely that many patients with MS would not consult their practice within a given year; care required by MS patients often being managed by hospital clinics. Thus, these estimates are likely to be a substantial underestimate of the true prevalence of the condition.

  Hospital discharge data to calendar year 2006 (provisional) is available at: http://www.scotpho.org.uk/web/site/home/Healthwell-beinganddisease/Multiplesclerosis/ms_data/ms_secondarycare.asp

  It should be noted that, as with PTI data, this information is likely to considerably underestimate true incidence because many people with MS will receive their care at out-patient clinics and so will not be included in these admissions data.

  Information on outpatient clinic attendances for MS is not centrally available, as specific diagnoses are not recorded.

  (i), (ii) and (iii)

  Comparative information on MS for the United Kingdom, EU member states and OECD nations is not held centrally. A discussion of the difficulties associated with making international comparisons is made on the ScotPHO web site, but no specific data are presented. http://www.scotpho.org.uk/web/site/home/Healthwell-beinganddisease/Multiplesclerosis/ms_data/ms_international.asp

  Please note the ScotPHO multiple sclerosis web pages are due to be updated later this year.

Oil Industry

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on which towns, cities and villages in Scotland the two Government Pipeline and Storage System oil pipeline networks run through.

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on which towns, cities and villages in Scotland are served by the two Government Pipeline and Storage System oil pipeline networks.

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what maintenance takes place, and who pays for the maintenance, of the two Government Pipeline and Storage System oil pipeline networks in Scotland.

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what percentage of the oil sent through the two Government Pipeline and Storage System oil pipeline networks in Scotland are for (a) military and (b) commercial use.

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the numbers of people in Scotland who are employed (a) directly and (b) via outsourcing on the two Government Pipeline and Storage System oil pipeline networks.

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of sites and locations in Scotland that have involvement with the two Government Pipeline and Storage System oil pipeline networks.

Jim Mather: Government Pipelines and Storage System (GPSS) is reserved to the UK Government and run by the Oil and Pipeline Agency. The function of this agency is to manage the Government pipelines and storage system (GPSS) on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD)

  Information on the pipelines and storage system can be obtained from the Defence Fuels Group at the MoD.

  The Address is as follows:

  Defence Equipment and Support Defence Fuels Group Ministry of Defence West Moors Wimborne Dorset BH21 6QS United Kingdom.

  Alternatively information is available on the MoD website at www.mod.uk.

Osteoporosis

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the what discussions it has had with the National Osteoporosis Society about improving services for osteoporosis patients.

The Executive have supplied the following corrected answer:

Shona Robison: The National Osteoporosis Society is a member of the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland, with which we are working in partnership on implementation of our long term conditions strategy.

  The Society was represented on the Falls Working Group which produced the framework for falls prevention incorporated in Health Department Letter (2007)13 issued on 21 February 2007.

Smoking

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS board area for smoking cessation services in the last three years, in light of recent figures from ASH Scotland which show that Glasgow Maryhill has the third highest smoking rate in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board came into being in 2006, and it is therefore not possible to give figures for that board for last 3 years. The following table sets out funding available for smoking cessation services for Greater Glasgow Health Board, Highland Health Board and Argyll and Clyde Health Board (which was subsumed into Greater Glasgow and Highland Health Boards in 2006) from 2005 to 2007-08.

  

Year
Health Board
Amount


2005-06
Greater Glasgow HB
£956,000


 
Argyll and Clyde HB
£439,000


 
Highland HB
£224,000


2006-07
Greater Glasgow HB
£956,000


 
Greater Glasgow Keep Well smoking cessation allocation
£800,000


 
Argyll and Clyde HB
£439,000


 
Highland HB
£224,000


2007-08
Greater Glasgow and Clyde HB
£1,769,000


 
Greater Glasgow and Clyde Keep Well smoking cessation allocation
£800,000


 
Highland HB
£455,000



  Funding allocations for smoking cessation services are agreed by the Scottish Ministerial Working Group on Tobacco Control and include an additional adjustment to take account of social deprivation, which is closely linked to smoking rates, in each health board Area.  An uplift of £2 million was allocated to health boards in 2007-08 in order to expand cessation services. In addition to the pro-rata increase this year, Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board would have received a further uplift in funding to take account of its share of funding for Clyde area residents, and Highland Health Board has received funding in respect of Argyll residents.  Keep Well aims to increase the rate of health improvement in deprived communities and includes a specific funding stream for smoking cessation activity.

Smoking

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what future funding will be provided in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS board area for smoking cessation services, in light of recent figures from ASH Scotland which show that Glasgow Maryhill has the third highest smoking rate in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Future funding for NHS boards smoking cessation services is being considered under the current spending review.

Smoking

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to prevent underage smokers buying cigarettes, in light of recent figures from ASH Scotland which show that 82% of 15-year-olds and 47% of 13-year-olds in the Glasgow Maryhill parliamentary constituency who smoke regularly report buying cigarettes from a shop.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is committed to a zero tolerance approach to underage sales. We have been working in partnership with all 32 local authorities to introduce a Scotland-wide national entitlement card that includes accreditation under the British Retail Consortium’s Proof of Age Standards Scheme which will enable retailers to operate a "no proof, no sale policy".

  In addition the change in Scottish prosecution policy in 2005 to allow evidence from test purchasing of age restricted goods to be admissible in court means that local authority trading standards departments have an additional useful tool to combat underage sales.

  Furthermore, I intend to publish a five-year Smoking Prevention Action Plan by Spring 2008 which will cover targets to reduce smoking among young people; reducing availability of tobacco to young people; discouraging young people from smoking and enabling young regular smokers to stop.

Smoking

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to discourage underage smoking, in light of recent figures from ASH Scotland which show 82% of 15-year-olds and 47% of 13-year-olds in the Glasgow Maryhill parliamentary constituency who smoke regularly report buying cigarettes from a shop.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is committed to reducing the incidence of smoking among children and young people. The smoke-free legislation is, of course, expected to drive cultural change by making smoking less attractive to young people and we acted quickly to reinforce the dangers associated with smoking by laying legislation to raise the age of purchase for tobacco products from 16 to 18 with effect 1 October 2007. We now propose to build upon the achievements made in reducing the incidence of smoking among young people by publishing a comprehensive five-year Smoking Prevention Action Plan by Spring 2008. This plan will set out new targets for reducing smoking among young people and outline a range of measures to underpin this including to reduce the availability of tobacco to underage young people through stricter enforcement of the law; to discourage young people from smoking; and to enable young regular smokers to stop.

Smoking

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the smoking rate was for those aged 16 and over in each of the last three years in the Glasgow Maryhill parliamentary constituency.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available for single years.

  The preferred source for smoking prevalence data is the Scottish Household Survey. The sample is drawn such that results are available at Scotland level on an annual basis and at local authority level for the two year periods 1999-2000, 2001-2002, 2003-2004 and 2005-2006.

  The sample sizes for Glasgow Maryhill parliamentary constituency over the two year periods are reasonable, but the survey is not designed to give representative results at parliamentary constituency level. Therefore, the figures presented below should be interpreted with caution.

  Scotland level figures for the same two year periods are included as a reference.

  Smoking prevalence (adults aged 16+) in Glasgow Maryhill Parliamentary Constituency:

  

Year of survey
Area
% smoking
Base 
(weighted sample size)


1999-2000
Glasgow Maryhill
38
397


2001-2002
Glasgow Maryhill
39
388


2003-2004
Glasgow Maryhill
36
312


2005-2006
Glasgow Maryhill
32
441


1999-2000
All Scotland
30
28,333


2001-2002
All Scotland
28
28,663


2003-2004
All Scotland
27
28,728


2005-2006
All Scotland
26
28,228



  Source: Scottish Household Survey.

Student Finance

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to students in part-time education at further education colleges in each year since 1999.

Fiona Hyslop: Various different types of funding are available to students in part-time education studying at advanced and non-advanced level at further education colleges. Where available the amounts of funding are given as follows (Table 1). Figures are rounded.

  Table 1: Funding for Loans, Disabled Students Allowance (DSA), Fee Waiver and Childcare (£000s)

  

Session
Advanced 
level - Loans
Advanced level -DSA
Advanced level - Fee Waiver
Non-advanced level -Fee Waiver
Non-advanced level - Childcare
Total funding (advanced and 
non-advanced)


2000-01
 69
 
 
 
494
563


2001-02
 90
 24
 816
 7,443
731
9,104


2002-03
 92
 82
 860
 7,922
958
9,914


2003-04
 90
150
1,069
 8,162
971
10,441


2004-05
107
139
 978
 8,275
967
10,466


2005-06
100
172
1,034
10,546
1,061
12,913



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland and Scottish Funding Council.

  Information on the amount of student support allocated through Bursary funding and Hardship funding specifically for part-time students is not held centrally.

  A number of part-time students at further education colleges who are not eligible for other types of support qualify for funding through the Individual Learning Account Scotland scheme (ILA Scotland), which has been in operation since end 2004. The amount of ILA Scotland funding allocated is given as follows (Table 2).

  Table 2: Funding from ILA Scotland (£000s)

  

Year
Funding Allocated


2005-06
1, 484


2006-07
2,164



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

Student Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the announcement made by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills giving a guarantee, the Higher Education Student Support Guarantee, that recipients of the educational maintenance allowance will know what student support they would be entitled to receive prior to applying to university, what plans the Executive has to introduce a similar initiative.

Fiona Hyslop: This is part of the announcement made by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills on 5 July 2007. There are currently no plans to introduce a similar guarantee in Scotland but we will examine the proposals.

Tourism

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to support the 2009 Year of Homecoming.

Jim Mather: This Government’s primary aim is sustainable economic growth right across Scotland, and we see Scottish tourism playing a key role in achieving that aim. As part of that aim we are committed to making Homecoming Scotland a success.

  We will work with tourism businesses which share that ambition to grow revenues, with VisitScotland, EventScotland and the enterprise agencies collaborating to attract more visitors to Scotland through world class marketing and innovative product development. Homecoming Scotland in 2009 will play an important part in stimulating tourism growth, reaching out to people all over the world who feel an affinity with Scotland, including but not limited to the Scottish diaspora. We will use the interest which these affinity Scots have in Ancestral Tourism, Robert Burns, Golf, Whisky and the Scottish enlightenment to motivate them to come to Scotland in 2009 for an inspirational celebration of Scotland’s many great contributions to the world.